45 years of failure, a new year of hope

January 18, 2018, Grand Rapids, Mich. -- Monday, January 22, 2018 will mark 45 years since the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, legalizing abortion in all 50 states through all nine months of pregnancy. Since those decisions, more than 58 million innocent lives have been lost to abortion.

Right to Life of Michigan President Barbara Listing said, “Abortion is failing women, it’s failing children, and it’s failing America. Abortions continue to decline slowly, but we have hope 2018 will be a pivotal year for restoring legal protection for unborn children.”

Right to Life of Michigan is beginning 2018 with a new advertising campaign featuring adoption. Two advertisements are running on statewide television throughout January.

Listing said, “The positive impact adoption can have on people is something always worth highlighting. Adoption is one important solution as we move forward to a country where abortion is both illegal and unthinkable.”

On January 19, hundreds of thousands of prolifers will head to Washington, D.C., to participate in the annual March for Life. President Donald Trump will address the crowd via a live video stream. Right to Life of Michigan affiliates are also hosting local events to mark the memorial.

Listing said, “As we prepare to reflect back on these years and the loss of so many lives, it is important to remember the momentum the prolife movement has been able to build this past year.”

In his first year in office, President Donald Trump has fulfilled his campaign promises of protecting the unborn. One of his first acts was reinstituting the Mexico City Policy, cutting off funding for promoting abortion overseas. His most notable promise involved appointing new U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch.

Listing said, “With another fair justice like Neil Gorsuch on the court, we could be as close as one vacancy from Roe v. Wade being overturned.”

Abortion-on-demand through all nine months of pregnancy remains highly unpopular in America. The annual Marist-Knights of Columbus abortion poll was released on January 17 and found only 12 percent of Americans believe abortion should be legal throughout pregnancy.

Listing said, “The more we can educate people about the tragedy of abortion, the more successful we’ll be. Most Americans do not know that abortion is legal throughout all nine months of pregnancy.”

More information has been revealed involving tissue trafficking. In December, it was announced that the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating Planned Parenthood for their involvement in tissue trafficking of aborted babies. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating similar concerns in New Mexico. Two companies in California were convicted based on evidence collected by undercover journalist David Dalieden.

Listing said, “It remains to be seen if Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry will be held accountable for selling baby body parts, but at least we know this issue is finally being taken seriously.”

For more information: Right to Life of Michigan Director of Communication/Education Chris Gast, 616-532-2300, info@rtl.org.